The Children's Homes website aims to provide information on all the many and varied institutions that became home for thousands of children and young people in Britain. They range from orphanages, homes for those in poverty, or with special needs, through to reformatories, industrial and approved schools, training ships, and hostels. As well as each home's location, history etc. the site includes many maps, census listings, and historic images of the buildings and their inmates.
To find a particular institution, organization or locality, use the menu bar at the left, or the Search box near the top of the screen.
NEW! Workhouses of London and the South East documents the story of the workhouse in the capital and the historical counties of Berkshire, Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex. Includes a guide to the establishments that operated in each locality and over 100 illustrations of the buildings and their inmates. More details...
'Magnificent' (Church Times) — Children's Homes surveys the many and varied alternatives to children's 'natural' homes — charitably funded orphanages, homes run by religious or occupational groups, institutions for those who had 'gone astray', establishments for children with special needs, homes run by the poor law authorities, and by local councils. What happened to all these institutions? What was life like for their inmates? And where can their records be found? More details...
Memories of life at the National Nautical School, Portishead 1927-29.
One woman's memories of life in Dublin's High Park Reformatory.
Hundreds of former Magdalen Homes, Mother & Baby Homes and council-run children's homes now added to the listings.
What were the shocking events at the Waifs and Strays Society's Standon Approved School in 1947, which led to its sudden closure? Read all about it!
Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.